Iraq expresses readiness to extradite Jordanian prisoners

AMMAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi officials in Amman said that Iraq is ready to extradite Jordanian prisoners to Jordan for them to complete imprisonment terms in Jordan, the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) said Tuesday.

An AOHR delegation "met on Tuesday with the Iraqi ambassador in Amman and other officials. They said they are ready and willing to send Jordanian prisoners for them to spend the rest of their imprisonment terms in Jordan," Abdul Karim Shreideh, head of the prisoners and detention centers committee at AOHR, told Xinhua.

According to the organization, there are 46 Jordanians jailed in Iraq, of whom many are held with no charges and are either students or traders.

The Iraqi ambassador in Amman said at the meeting that his country is ready to implement the Riyadh Arab Agreement for Judicial Cooperation, which allows for the extradition of prisoners between signatory Arab states, Shreideh said.

Jordan and Iraq are both signatories to the agreement.

"The Iraqi official also showed his country's readiness to arrange a visit for the organization to see the Jordanian prisoners in Iraq and check their situation," Shreideh said.

"Today's remarks by the Iraqi ambassador are important and we appreciate that and we are also hopeful that actions will be taken at this stage to secure the transfer of the Jordanian prisoners to Jordan," he added.